How to make a Halloween wreath out of newspaper

Black and white newsprint is a perfect starting point for spooky crafts.

A lightweight foam wreath form covered with newspaper roses looks elegant on its own, but can be dressed up with mini faux pumpkins, glittery berries, a swarm of spiders or bats, or any other embellishments.

Making the flowers is inexpensive and fairly uncomplicated, but it’s not a quick process. So find a good movie on TV and settle in for a lot of crafting.

Halloween wreath

Foam wreath form

Newspaper

Hot glue gun and glue sticks

Scissors

Embellishments

1. Cut several sheets of newspaper into 11/2-inch strips. Wrap them around the wreath form, overlapping each strip slightly, until it is covered. This will cover any gaps between the paper flowers that will be glued on later.

2. Stack three sheets of newspaper and trace a small salad plate or similarly sized round object on the top layer as many times as it will fit. Cut circles out of all three layers.

3. Hold three paper circles together in a stack and, starting at the outside edge, cut through all layers in a spiral shape, moving from the outside toward the center. Try to keep the width of the resulting spiral-shaped strip consistent — mine were about 3/4 of an inch — but it doesn’t have to be perfect.

4. When you get close to the center, make the end of the spiral a quarter-sized circle. This will become the base of the flower.

5. Starting from the outer edge of the spiral, start rolling the paper strip around itself. Roll the center fairly tightly, then the rest looser to form the outer petals.

6. When you get close to the end, flip the flower upside down on your work surface (it will resemble a tiny lampshade at this point) and apply glue to base of the flower. Press it against the rolled-up paper to securely adhere the coiled paper to the base.